Course Syllabus
Please use the links below to jump to different sections on the same page.
Course Description and Prerequisites | Course Objectives | Time Expectation | Course Requisite Technical Skills | Textbooks and Materials | Course Grading | Course Policies | Student Rights & Responsibilities | Overview of Assignments | Taking Proctored Assessments | Your Email Account | Student Resources | Accommodation Policy and Statements | NOVA Online Policies and Procedures | Course Summary (Assignment Schedule and Critical Dates)
Course Title: (3 credits) - ADJ237 (Advanced Criminal Investigation)
Faculty: Assistant Professor, Colin Caesar
Contact Information:
Phone - 703-967-7423
Email - ccaesar@nvcc.edu
Mandatory Zoom Virtual Online Meeting: A few days prior to the official opening of the course, there will be a Mandatory Zoom Meeting. Everyone must attend. No one is excused.
You will be notified via Announcements and Emails regarding the time and date.
Periodic Zoom Virtual Online Meeting Room - You and I can meet in Zoom Meeting Room at your request to discuss issues/problems, to include solutions/success.
Plagiarism / Dishonesty: Please read the Syllabus page regarding plagiarism and dishonesty.
Semester: Spring 2021
Print Syllabus: You may use the Print feature of your browser to print out the syllabus or save it as a PDF document or Word document.
Course Description and Prerequisites
Course Objectives
Time Expectation
Course Requisite Technical Skills
In order to succeed in this online course, you must be comfortable working with technology. At a minimum, you must possess the following technical skills:
- Ability to use the Internet in an effective and efficient manner, including installation and management of browser plug-ins and add-ons.
- Basic knowledge about the operation of a computer, file management, and software installation.
- Working knowledge of the Canvas learning management system.
- Ability to proficiently search the web for information
- Ability to download and print information from websites
- Ability to download, view, and/or print PDF files
Textbooks and Materials
Required Textbooks
Acquiring Textbooks and Course Materials
Course Grading
Course Policies
Contact Policy
Email: ccaesar@nvcc.edu
Work Phone: 703-967-7423
Office Location: Online - Via Zoom Online Virtual Meeting Room
Office Hours: Monday, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Tuesdays, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Wednesday, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM; Thursdays, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM; Friday, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM; and Sunday, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
E-mail: Students who e-mail me Monday - Thursday can ordinarily expect a response within 24 hours. Students who email after 4 PM on Friday or over the weekend can ordinarily expect a response by noon on the following Monday.
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) faculty, staff, and administrators communicate with students through their official NVCC email accounts (_______@nvcc.edu). Students are likewise required to use their VCCS email accounts (________@email.vccs.edu) to communicate with instructors and other college personnel and should check their email accounts regularly. You are required to use this email account for any course-related email communication so that we can insure your privacy as required by law. If you don't know your VCCS email address, go to My NOVA and look for your address.
Phone Messages: Although I try to check phone messages during the week, the preferred method of communication will always be by email. I will make every effort possible to return phone messages within 2 business days.
Grading Policy
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Master Assignments - Activities Guide:
This guide was previously sent to you via email. I did ask that you print a copy of it so you could determine what assignment is due when.
If you did not get a copy from your instructor, please contact him/her and request a copy.
In addition, an exact duplicate of the Master Assignment - Activities Guide can be found in the Announcement which is called ADJ237 - Master Assignments - Activities Guide.
Completing Two ✌ Mandatory Quizzes:
Before You Can Attempt To Take Proctored Exam l And Exam ll via Respondus Lock Down Browser + Webcam / Zoom, you must complete the two mandatory quizzes.
For detailed information, directions, guide and further explanation, please refer to the Announcement which is called:
ADJ237 - Academic Integrity For Proctored Quizzes/Exams Via Use Of Respondus Lockdown Browser + Webcam / Zoom
Regarding Module 1: Discussion Introductions:
You must post your answer to the Initial Discussion Thread / Response by Saturday, 6:00 PM, January 23, 2021. This will give your Instructor and your classmates ample time to read and respond to your posts/answers prior to or by the end of class period, which is Tuesday, January 26, at 11:59 PM.
Answering You Decide Part ll MindTap Questions:
Please refer to the below Announcements:
ADJ237 - Guidelines Pertaining To Answering The Questions For MindTap You Decide Part ll
ADJ237 - No. 1 Of 2 - Guidelines For MindTap - Answering The Questions For MindTap You Decide Part ll
ADJ237 - No. 2 Of 2 - Guidelines For MindTap - How To Answer MindTap You Decide Part ll Questions
How do you prove your case / answer?
In this situation, you will prove / convince your boss, the public, prosecutor / judge / defense / jurors and so on that the data / information / evidence is credible and substantial, to include the source of your evidence (time, date, from where the evidence was obtained, who gave you the evidence (Who, What, When, Where, How, Why, and so on).
In a criminal investigation, you must provide the source of information else you will lose your case.
You must Summarize, Analyze, Discuss, Explain, Dissect, Examine, Study, Investigate, Scrutinize, Evaluate, Survey, Inspect, and Explore your Direct and Indirect Quotations. You can Agree / Disagree by providing explanations of your Direct and Indirect Quotations. This is tantamount to conducting an autopsy examination or conduct a postmortem examination of the Direct and Indirect Quotations. In other words, tell or summarize to the reader in your own words what the source is saying. Do not use any of the source's words / ideas in your personal summarization.
Indirect Quotation means paraphrasing what the author said.
Direct Quotation is using quotations ("...").
In writing / proving your answers / evidence, you must conduct a research to find / locate possible answers, whether partial or in-full.
If you do not show from where and from whom you obtained your answers / evidence, then your work is tantamount to plagiarism.
You must have in-text citations which must be bold in black color, eg, (Johnson, 2019, p. 235). Here is example:
To become an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a very prestigious job. Johnson said, "One must not be convicted of any crime and one must have a Bachelor Degree to serve as an FBI Agent." (Johnson, 2029, p.235). Here, in detail, you will summarize/explain/cut-up/dissect to the reader what Johnson meant in the direct quotations.
You must have a reference page. Here is an example of the reference page:
References
Johnson, R. (2007). Becoming An FBI Agent. Retrieved from http:/www.caesarfoundation/courts.html
Answering Assignment Questions, Investigation Questions, Any Questions, Or Preparing Research Papers:
1. Refer to the above MindTap Announcements
2. Read the Announcements dealing with APA Style.
3. Read Announcements dealing with answering questions, completing written assignments, completing investigations, understanding APA Style, and many more.
4. Reading all Announcements given to you will certainly lead you to complete success in this course.
Submitting, Resubmitting, Editing, And Deleting of Assignments:
After you submitted your assignments, it is prohibited to resubmit, edit, or delete any of these assignments.
If one resubmits, edits, or deletes any of these assignments, then one will receive a zero (0) grade point for that particular assignment.
Displaying External Uniform Resource Locator (URL) Links, And Attaching Documents:
Active / Clickable URLs Links: Displaying or attaching active / clickable URLs links to your assignments are prohibited. They pose security risks.
To remove URLs from your assignments, one must highlight the links and select Remove Link icon located at the top of Canvas Editor.
If one's assignment reflects or has active URL/URLs, one's assignment will not be graded, resulting in a zero (0) grade.
Documents: The only document one is allowed to attach is one's Research Paper in Microsoft Word Document ending in the file extensions of doc or docx. Do not use PDF or any other extensions.
Begin, End And Start Of Classes:
Course Officially Begins at 7:00 AM, 01/11/21.
Class Ends on Tuesdays at 11:59 PM.
Class Starts on Wednesdays at 00:01 AM.
Course Officially Ends on Monday, at 11:59 PM, 05/03/21.
For Written Assignments, Module Quizzes, MindTap Quizzes, Exams, and Optional Extra Credit Blogs Only:
You must submit these activities/assignments for review by 11:59 PM on the scheduled due dates. There will be no Additional Posed Questions given to you for these assignments.
How To Locate Assignments/Activities/Course Work:
1. Click Modules, located at the left Global Navigation of Canvas Menu Bar. Then you scroll down. You will see your assignments / activities / course work, to include Due Dates, and Points you will receive.
2. In other words, Click Modules, scroll down gently, and read the headings/titles of all modules. After reading the title of a module, then read the contents under the titles.
3. Click Syllabus. You will also see vital information pertaining to your course. Make a copy of the syllabus. Have it in close proximity for quick and easy access, thus leading to your success in this course.
Complete MindTap First, Then Complete Module Quizzes:
Complete All MindTap Assignments First, Then Take The Respective Module Quizzes Second.
Complete MindTap First, Then Quizzes, And Then Exam:
Complete All MindTap Assignments First, Then Take The Respective Module Quizzes Second, Then Take The Respective Exams.
Early Completion and Submission Of All Assignments:
This allows you not to ever be late, resulting in receiving more valuable academic points. In addition, there is timely communication among all of us (students and professor), to include timely grading of your work by professor and timely review of graded work by you, which in turn, prompts you not to make the same mistakes in your submission of all future academic work.
If You Have To Do Research, Or Use External Or Internal Materials / Sources:
You must have in-text citations and a reference page. You must use the APA style writing to complete your papers / assignments / documents / activities. You must use the course textbook as one of the various sources for your research paper. There is no exception to this policy. You can and may use other sources (Books, Internet, News Paper, Magazines, Databases, Journals, Encyclopedias, Periodicals, Videos, TV, and so on and so on), including the textbook used in the course.
For help and samples relative to writing in the APA style, see provided samples and guidance found in various Announcements.
Grading Module 1 -15 Activities:
All activities for Modules 1 - 15 that are completed and received by the due date will be graded and associated grades will be posted in the Grade Center of Canvas within 7 days after the End of Class, except for Module 15, which may be posted within 2 days after the End of Course.
MindTap Assignments:
MindTap End of Chapter Video / You Decide Part l / Part ll Due Date:
Submission of these activities must be accomplished prior to taking the regular Module Quizzes. This method will aid you in obtaining more points / better understanding of the regular Module Quizzes.
However, I strongly recommend that you complete all MindTap activities before taking the regular Module Quizzes. The reason is that the MindTap activities will aid/help you in passing the regular Module Quizzes, to include Exam 1 and Exam 2.
You have unlimited chances to complete all MindTap Chapter Video activities. This means that you can take and or redo each activity for better scores / comprehension. These quizzes are mandatory.
MindTap - You Decide Part ll:
1. You have only one chance to complete this activity. You do not have multiple chances.
2. Do not be late in your submission. If so, you may not receive any points or you may loose valuable points. Note that as an aspiring Criminal Justice Official, you cannot submit incomplete investigation or late investigation to the Courts to prosecute an offender.
3. Copy the questions from MindTap and place them in a Word document on your computer. Prepare your answers by using the APA Style Format (Use direct or indirect quotations, summarize the direct or indirect quotations, use in-text citations, and a reference page). The in-text citations must be bold in black color, eg, (Trump, 2020, p.456).
All answers must have the APA Style Format. There must be no plagiarism. All answers must be detailed. Short answers are not acceptable.
Not following the above guidance will cause you to loose valuable points and cause your instructor to question your answers.
As a member of the Criminal Justice System (Police, Courts, and Corrections), you do not want your answers / evidence to be questionable.
You must have substantial evidence beyond reasonable doubt to prove or disapprove your investigative conclusion.
Once you complete your answers, you will then copy them from your Word document and paste them in MindTap. Make sure your answers are properly formatted. The answers must be detailed. For example,
First and Last Name Of Student Writer: Peter Johnson
Date Answer Completed: January15, 2021
You will put the questions here.
You will put your answer here. Remember to use direct or indirect quotations, summarization of the quotations, using in-text citations, with references.
Reference Page Goes Here.
First Name Of Student Writer: Peter
In a criminal investigation, you must have substantial evidence to prove your case, identifying your evidence, to include your identity.
Regular Module Quizzes:
All quizzes must be completed as scheduled, by 11:59 PM, on the due date . They are taken in your home environment.
If you need to retake one, please contact your instructor.
These Regular Module Quizzes are generated from the textbook.
These quizzes are based on Textbook and MindTap Chapters Assignments/activities. You must complete the respective MindTap Chapter Assignments before you take the Regular Module Quizzes.
The Quizzes will also cover the material found in the respective Textbook Chapters.
Each quiz has 25, 40 or 50 questions, and they contain multiple choice and true / false questions. Each question is worth 1 or .5. All quizzes are taken at home - no password is required.
Feel free to use your textbook, notes, etc., but you must do your own work. Do not copy the quizzes. This action is prohibited.
Some important information you must understand before you begin your quizzes:
- once you begin your quiz, you must complete it.
- you may only access each quiz one time, so make sure you are ready!
- you cannot view or look at the quiz first.
- you cannot save or print the quiz.
- the information covered in each quiz is available to you in your weekly assignment
Module Exams 1 And 2 Are Proctored:
Both Exams 1 and 2 must be taken via Respondus Lock Down Browser + Web Cam / Zoom. They must be taken as scheduled. They can be taken before the due dates, but you must coordinate with instructor. If you have unavoidable circumstances for not taking either exam as scheduled, you must notify instructor.
Exam 1 is due by 11:59 PM, on the due date, during the 8th week of the course. Exam 1 comes from Regular Module Quizzes 1 - 4.
EXAM 1 IS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE WEEK OF MODULE 8.
Exam 2 is due by 11:59 PM, on the due date, during the 15th Week of the course. Exam 2 comes from Regular Module Quizzes 5 - 8.
EXAM 2 IS TO BE COMPLETED IN THE WEEK OF MODULE 15.
You must pass both Exams 1 and 2 with 60% or higher in order to pass the course, regardless of your passing scores on the other activities / assignments.
This means that you must obtain 60 points or higher from 100 in each Exam, despite your passing grades in other subject areas.
Not taking the Exams is the same as failing them.
If you fail the Exams or do no take the Exams, you will fail the course, despite your having a passing grade on other assignments. As a result, you will be withdrawn from the course.
If you failed or did not take the Exams by the scheduled date, when the exams must be taken, you must immediately contact instructor via telephone, within 24 hours (of failing / not taking the exam). If instructor does not answer the phone, you must leave a voicemail. No Email Is Accepted.
According To NOVA Policy, "Students who do not pass their proctored exams may fail their course regardless of their performance on homework and projects." Click this link for more information: https://online.nvcc.edu/nolpps.htm#Igrades
Extra Optional Blog Credits:
If one decides to complete these credits, one must complete them as scheduled. You can complete them so as to increase your grade. You can gain an additional 30 points if you complete the two blogs called Capital Punishments, and Police Excessive Force.
Reservation of 5 Points By Instructor for Extra Effort and Participation Credit:
Extra Effort and Participation points may be awarded by the instructor on a case by case basis to those students who go beyond the call of duty to show extra effort and participation in learning, timely submission of activities, progressively understanding the Criminal Justice System (Police, Courts, and Corrections), coordinating with instructor by asking questions to better grasp the course contents and concepts, completing all optional extra credits, and last but not least, accomplishing outstanding/exceptional work habits.
Students may receive 5 points if students are lacking these points towards making an A, B, or C grade. No one is entitled to the points (it is not a right). Instructor makes the final decision as to who will receive the points.
In addition, instructor may award you more than 5 points. However, only the instructor can make that decision based on your extra effort.
Embedding Your Picture:
You can obtain five (5) points for embedding your picture in Canvas.
Attending The Mandatory Meeting:
You will receive 5 points for attending this important meeting.
Student Evaluation:
You will get 10 bonus points for completing the evaluation.
File Attachment:
Do not attach any files to your Assignments. I do not accept attached files. I do not read attached files.
I do not grade attached files; hence you will get no grade.
Only In Two Instances, I accept Attached Files:
1. When I ask you to do so.
2. When you complete and submit your Research Paper, Pre-Trial Procedures.
Retention of Copies of All Your Work Activities:
Note that you are expected to retain an electronic copy of all work submitted. If transmission of the work fails, you are expected to "resend" the work under my directions.
Assignments will be accomplished via Canvas.
Do not submit assignments to me via emails.
You are expected to verify your own Canvas responses by returning to the appropriate place in Canvas after the work has been posted.
Plagiarisms and Integrity Issues:
There should be no plagiarisms, and do not allow any integrity issue to be questioned relative to academic work. If one plagiarizes, one will not receive a grade for plagiarized work, to include other actions taken by the College.
Academic Integrity Policy:
Both administrative and educational sanctions may be imposed. Click this link to read a PDF file relative to Academic Integrity Policy: https://www.nvcc.edu/policies/_files/224-Academic-Integrity.pdf (Links to an external site.)
For for information on the appeal process: Click this link to read a PDF file relative to Appeal Process. https://www.nvcc.edu/policies/_files/224P-Academic-Integrity.pdf (Links to an external site.)
For violations of the integrity policy, Instructor may request request that you complete the Student Lingo on-line workshops:
(1) Academic Integrity: Do’s and Don’ts
and / or
(2) Understanding & Avoiding Plagiarism (Links to an external site.).
Instructor will assign a due date for you to complete the workshops. After completion, you must email Instructor a copy of the completion certificate.
The link to register for Student Lingo is: https://studentlingo.thoughtindustries.com/nvcc/ (Links to an external site.)
Go To Announcements and read the following:
Guide To Understand APA Citations, Reference Pages, Academic Dishonesty, and the Consequences, Plagiarism, Citation, & Reference, and Plagiarism Guidance.
Do not plagiarize MindTap Activities. Go to Announcement and read How To Answer MindTap You Decide Part l and ll Questions.
Go to Syllabus and read the following:
Plagiarism and Student Rights & Responsibilities
Click the below NVCC College link and read about Citation Help & Plagiarism:
https://www.nvcc.edu/library/students/citation.html (Links to an external site.)
Click the below Walden University link and read about Citations: Citing Yourself
https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/apa/citations/citingyourself
Go To Announcements and read the following:
ADJ237 - Guide To Understand APA Citations, Reference Pages, Academic Dishonesty, and the Consequences
ADJ237 - Plagiarism, Citation, & Reference
ADJ237 - Plagiarism Guidance
ADJ237 - How To Answer MindTap You Decide Part ll Questions, And Written Essay Assignment Questions
Go to Syllabus and read the following:
Plagiarism and Student Rights & Responsibilities
Click the below NVCC College link and read about Citation Help & Plagiarism:
https://www.nvcc.edu/library/students/citation.html
Click the below Walden University link and read about Citations: Citing Yourself
https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/apa/citations/citingyourself
Attendance Policy:
6 - 9 Hours Per Week: For you to be successful in this course, it is recommended that you devote 6 - 9 hours per week for this 3 credit hours course.
Grading Turnaround Time:
Written Assignments - About 7 business days, after the End Of Class, grading will be completed.
Quizzes and Exams: - These are graded automatically, meaning that immediately after completion, of your Quiz or Exam, you will receive your score.
Blogs - About 7 business days, after the End of Class, grading will be completed.
Late Work Policy:
Emergency Is Acceptable.
If there is an emergency, you must notify instructor prior to the due date of your work, else your work will be considered late.
If there is an emergency on the day the work is due, you must notify instructor immediately. Therefore, I will not consider your work late.
If there are compelling reasons not to notify me prior to due date, or on the due date, then such compelling reasons may be taken into consideration.
Note that Medical/Doctor’s note is required if there is an illness. If it is not an illness, then advise me so that I may accommodate your situation.
Non-Emergency Is Not Acceptable:
Your work may not be graded and no points may be awarded.
Note that is the practice, choice, or prerogative of the instructor not to grade late and not to award any points. Only the instructor makes this choice.
Instructor decides on a case by case basis if late work will be graded and how many points may be awarded
Incomplete Assignments:
You will lose points for incomplete work.
Not answering your assignments or partially answering your assignments means that your work/activity is incomplete. Hence, you will lose points for incomplete work. Instructor decides on a case by case basis how many points you may lose.
Incomplete Work For All Activities:
You will lose points for all incomplete work assignments. Instructor decides on a case by case basis how many points you may lose.
Incomplete (I) Grade Policy:
Incomplete Grades
The incomplete grade is used for verifiable unavoidable reasons. If you have made significant progress in your course, your end date is near, and you have reasons that can be documented as unavoidable, you may request a grade of Incomplete. To request a grade of Incomplete for this course, you must:
- Have satisfactorily completed 60% of the course work (specified in the course by your instructor).
- Explain your extenuating circumstances in writing.
- Provide a plan for completing the remaining assignments in writing. All work must be completed by the end of the subsequent semester.
- The time you have to complete the course must be agreed upon with your instructor, but will be no more than one additional semester.
Source: https://online.nvcc.edu/nolpps.htm#Igrades
Embed A Picture Of Yourself In Canvas:
You must, as soon as possible, prepare your Canvas Academic Media Profile Picture. In this way, you will add your picture to your profile. By doing so, your picture will be associated with your name, and it will appear next to your name when you post to the various Discussion Forums, or submit Journal Entries, and as you work in other content areas of Canvas.
The picture/photo is for academic identification. The picture must be personal only to you. It must depict/show your upper facial area. In other words, let the picture show your face. You must be recognizable. The picture must depict/show only you as the student. The picture must not have objects/things/other persons/animals/and so on in it. Do not disguise/distort the facial feature of your picture. Make sure the picture will be acceptable by NOVA. You are beautiful and handsome.
If the picture is not acceptable, you will be asked to remove it, and post an appropriate image of yourself. Smile 
Here are some examples:
ACCEPTED
NOT ACCEPTED
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Grading Turnaround Time:
All completed assignments will be graded no later than seven days after the due date, and sooner when possible.
Incomplete Policy:
The incomplete grade is used for verifiable unavoidable reasons. If you have made significant progress in your course, your end date is near, and you have reasons that can be documented as unavoidable, you may request a grade of Incomplete. To request a grade of Incomplete for this course, you must:
- Have satisfactorily completed 60 percent or more of the assignments (per VCCS policy)
- Explain your extenuating circumstances in writing
- Provide a plan for completing the remaining assignments in writing (all work must be completed by the end of the subsequent semester)
- The time you have to complete the course must be agreed upon with your instructor, but will be no more than one additional semester
Withdraw from the Course
Student Rights & Responsibilities
Overview of Assignments
Taking Proctored Assessments
Your Email Account
Student Resources
Accommodation Policy and Statements
NOVA Online Policies and Procedures
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|